2011 in summary

January – I’ve no idea what happened in Januar. I’m sure there was a lot of snow. We also went to the theatre and saw Le Cage Aux Folles. Good fun!

February – I’ve no idea what happened in February either. We went to a few good concerts and I have photo proof from a walk on a foggy day at Kvarven.

March – Kristin’s mother celebrated her 70th birthday. I also got to attend an interesting evening with James Randi in Bergem. My Grandmother Sofia died, 97 years old. Kristin bought a new car that made it out of Japan just before the earthquake struck.

April – Kristin’s father turned 80 and celebrated with a big party. We went to California and stayed for two weeks with my bonus parents, seeing sights in Southern California. It was a great trip, mentioned here and here. When we came home I went to an interview for a new job, and I got it.

May – We’d decided to get a new cat and we met Solan Húrin for the first time. As I’d gotten a new job in the center of Bergen we also decided to start looking for a home together. We also went to some concerts and explored some of the mountains around Bergen with our niece and nephew.

June – Kristin’s parents celebrated their golden anniversary. We found the condo we wanted, bought it and moved in. My bonus parents happened to visit Bergen with a cruise ship on the day we took over, so they got to see it too. It has a great view. It was a hectic month, but we did get to go to a great birthday party.

July – We went on a two week canal boat vacation in Wales and England with my mother and our sisters with families. It was a wonderful vacation. As soon as we came home Solan moved in. He’s so cute. We also did a lot of painting in our new home. Then, on the afternoon and evening on July 22nd, we stayed glued to the tv like almost everyone else in Norway.

August – I spend my last days at my old job. It is sad that one of the last things I do before leaving there is attending the funeral of one of our students. Silje Stamneshagen was one of the people killed at Utøya on July 22nd. I also start working at Bergen Katedralskole. Kristin’s father falls ill and dies on Aug.30th after a week in hospital.

September – We go to Kristin’s father’s funeral. Life settles down again with work and more project in our new home. Then, on September 25th, Solan falls off the balcony railing and fractures his leg. The vet put pins in his legs and we get him back home after two days. He’s not allowed to jump onto things……

October – keeping an eye on a reconvalesent cat with metal pins in his legs are not much fun, but we make it through. Our new bookshelves start arriving from the store and the place is starting to look the way we want it too. We sell one of our cars as we don’t need it anymore.

November – Solan is getting back to normal. Major events in our home is getting new hardwood floors and walk-in-wardrobe in our bedrooms. I worked a weekend at the book boat Epos, a nostalgic visit to my old-old-job. We go on a trip to Kiel and Lübeck with Kristin’s mother and sister.

December – The electrician put up more lights in the wardrobe and the balcony is made cat safe so Solan won’t fall down again. The last bookshelves arrived and so did the chest of drawers that I spent the last three evenings before christmas putting together. We went shopping. Christmas was spent with family and friends. We either had guests or went visiting every day. On New Years Eve we put on our rings and became formally engaged to be married.